Device for broadcasting advertising packets

ABSTRACT

In a case where both an IPv4 address and an IPv6 address are available in a printing apparatus, a Bluetooth low energy advertising packet including the available IPv4 address but not the available IPv6 address is generated and periodically transmitted.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation application of Ser. No. 15/819,469 filed on Nov.21, 2017 which claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No.2016-230830, filed Nov. 29, 2016, both of which are hereby incorporatedby reference herein in their entirety.

BACKGROUND Field

The present disclosure relates to a printing apparatus that transmits anadvertising packet.

Description of the Related Art

In recent years, the number of printing apparatuses such asmultifunction peripherals or printers each having a Bluetooth® lowenergy function has been increasing. The printing apparatus having theBluetooth low energy function transmits data using a Bluetooth lowenergy advertising packet (hereinafter referred to as a Bluetooth lowenergy packet) to an external apparatus such as a mobile terminal.Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-152538 discusses aconfiguration in which a mobile terminal searches for a printingapparatus using Bluetooth low energy and transmits print data to aprinting apparatus selected by a user from among search results.

It has been examined whether the Bluetooth low energy packet includes anInternet Protocol (IP) address of a printing apparatus as a use of theBluetooth low energy packet. For example, in AirPrint® Bluetooth®defined by Apple Inc., it has been defined that a Bluetooth low energypacket includes an IP address. When the Bluetooth low energy packetincludes the IP address of a printing apparatus, a mobile terminal inthe vicinity of the printing apparatus can easily specify the IP addressof the printing apparatus.

The number of IP addresses of the printing apparatus is not necessarilyone. In the printing apparatus, both an IPv4 address and an IPv6 addresscan become available. How to transmit the Bluetooth low energy packetincluding the IP address when both the IPv4 address and the IPv6 addressare available in the printing apparatus has not been assumed.

SUMMARY

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a printing apparatusthat performs wireless communication based on Bluetooth low energyincludes a printing unit that performs print processing based on printdata, a memory device that stores a set of instructions, and at leastone processor that executes the set of instructions to generate, in acase where both an IPv4 address and an IPv6 address are available in theprinting apparatus, a Bluetooth low energy advertising packet includingthe available IPv4 address but not the available IPv6 address, andperiodically transmit the generated Bluetooth low energy advertisingpacket.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a printingapparatus that performs wireless communication based on Bluetooth lowenergy includes a printing unit that performs print processing based onprint data, a memory device that stores a set of instructions, and atleast one processor that executes the set of instructions to generate,in a case where a setting of the printing apparatus is a first settingto transmit a Bluetooth low energy advertising packet in a first formatand both an IPv4 address and an IPv6 address are available in theprinting apparatus, a Bluetooth low energy advertising packet includingthe available IPv4 address but not the available IPv6 address, generate,in a case where the setting of the printing apparatus is a secondsetting to transmit a Bluetooth low energy advertising packet in asecond format, a Bluetooth low energy advertising packet including a MACaddress of the printing apparatus, and periodically transmit thegenerated Bluetooth low energy advertising packet.

Further features will become apparent from the following description ofexemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a hardware configuration of a printing apparatus.

FIGS. 2A-2B illustrates a format of a Bluetooth® Low Energy packet.

FIG. 3 illustrates a setting screen.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating processing performed by the printingapparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Exemplary embodiments will be described below with reference to thedrawings. The below-described exemplary embodiments are not intended tolimit the claims and all combinations of features described in theexemplary embodiments are not necessarily essential for a solution.

A hardware configuration of a printing apparatus 100 will be describedbelow with reference to FIG. 1. A central processing unit (CPU) 101performs various types of processing to control an operation of theprinting apparatus 100 by reading out a control program stored in aread-only memory (ROM) 102. The ROM 102 stores the control program. Arandom access memory (RAM) 103 is used as a main memory of the CPU 101and a temporary storage area such as a work area. A hard disk drive(HDD) 112 is a nonvolatile storage medium storing various types of data.The printing apparatus 100 can have another configuration in a differentembodiment, but still performs each of processes described below. Forexample, a plurality of CPUs can cooperate with one another to performeach of the processes described below. Some of the processes can beperformed using a hardware circuit, such as an Application SpecificIntegrated Circuit (ASIC).

A printer 109 performs print processing on a sheet based on print datareceived from an external apparatus via a wireless local area network(LAN) chip 106 or a network interface (I/F) 104. A scanner 110 reads adocument placed by a user, and generates a document image. The documentimage generated by the scanner 110 is printed by the printer 109 (copyprocessing) or is stored in the HDD 112. An operation unit 111 includesa display with a touch panel function or a keyboard, and displaysvarious types of operation screens. A user can input instructions andinformation to the printing apparatus 100 via the operation unit 111.

The wireless LAN chip 106 is a chip for performing wireless LANcommunication that meets Institute of Electrical and ElectronicEngineers (IEEE) 802.11a/b/g/n/ac. A wireless LAN controller 105controls the wireless LAN communication using the wireless LAN chip 106.

A Bluetooth chip 108 is a wireless communication chip for performingBluetooth wireless communication. The Bluetooth chip 108 also includes aBluetooth low energy function and performs Bluetooth low energycommunication. The Bluetooth low energy communication includesperiodically broadcasting a Bluetooth low energy advertising packet. ABluetooth controller 107 controls the Bluetooth communication using theBluetooth chip 108.

The network I/F 104 is connected to a network via a LAN cable. Thenetwork I/F 104 communicates with an external apparatus, e.g., apersonal computer (PC), on the network to receive print data from theexternal apparatus and to transmit the document image generated by thescanner 110 to the external apparatus.

The printing apparatus 100 transmits advertising packets in a pluralityof formats. In the following description, a Bluetooth low energyadvertising packet is referred to as a Bluetooth low energy packet. Theplurality of formats includes AirPrint Bluetooth Beacon and a printapplication. Each of the formats will be described with reference toFIGS. 2A-2B.

FIG. 2A illustrates an AirPrint Bluetooth Beacon format, which isdefined by Apple Inc., and stores data representing connectioninformation, a path, a port number, an IP address, and a transmissionradio-field intensity in each field. A Bluetooth low energy packet inthe AirPrint Bluetooth Beacon format is used by a PC or a mobileterminal complying with AirPrint®. The PC or the mobile terminalperforms device search using a Bluetooth low energy packet in anAirPrint Bluetooth Beacon format. That is, a wireless communicationterminal, such as the PC or the mobile terminal, specifies a devicecomplying with AirPrint® based on AirPrint Bluetooth Beacon.

The AirPrint Bluetooth Beacon format includes an IP address of theprinting apparatus 100, unlike a print application format described inFIG. 2B. The wireless communication terminal establishes communicationbased on a communication protocol different from Bluetooth low energybetween the printing apparatus 100 and itself using the IP addressincluded in the Bluetooth low energy packet in the AirPrint BluetoothBeacon format. For example, the wireless communication terminal canperform Wi-Fi® communication with the printing apparatus 100 using theIP address included in the Bluetooth low energy packet.

FIG. 2B illustrates a print application format. A print application is aformat defined by a manufacturer of the printing apparatus 100, and isdefined to store a transmission radio-field intensity, a Media AccessControl (MAC) address, a device name, and a device category in eachfield. The manufacturer of the printing apparatus 100 provides a printapplication for a mobile terminal. The user installs the printapplication on the mobile terminal to use a printing function of theprinting apparatus 100. An advertising packet in the print applicationformat is used by the mobile terminal on which the print application isinstalled. A wireless communication terminal, such as a PC or the mobileterminal, specifies a device corresponding to the print applicationbased on the advertising packet in the print application format.

The print application format includes a MAC address of the printingapparatus 100, unlike the AirPrint Bluetooth Beacon format described inFIG. 2A. The wireless communication terminal establishes communicationbased on a communication protocol different from Bluetooth low energybetween the printing apparatus 100 and itself using the MAC addressincluded in the advertising packet in the print application format. Forexample, the wireless communication terminal can perform Wi-Fi®communication with the printing apparatus 100 using the MAC addressincluded in the advertising packet.

A setting screen 300 illustrated in FIG. 3 is a screen displayed by theoperation unit 111 of the printing apparatus 100. The printing apparatus100 transmits either the Bluetooth low energy packet in the AirPrintBluetooth Beacon format or the Bluetooth low energy packet in the printapplication format. The user sets the format of the Bluetooth low energypacket to be transmitted to the printing apparatus 100 using the settingscreen 300.

When the Bluetooth low energy packet in the AirPrint Bluetooth Beaconformat is desired to be transmitted to the printing apparatus 100, theuser selects “AirPrint Bluetooth Beacon” on the setting screen 300. Whenthe Bluetooth low energy packet in the print application format isdesired to be transmitted to the printing apparatus 100, the userselects “PRINT APPLICATION” on the setting screen 300. When the userpresses an OK button 301, the printing apparatus 100 stores a result ofa setting by the setting screen 300 in the HDD 112 as a device setting.

Processing for transmitting a Bluetooth low energy packet by theprinting apparatus 100 according to a first exemplary embodiment will bedescribed with reference to a flowchart of FIG. 4. Steps illustrated inthe flowchart of FIG. 4 are processed when the CPU 101 loads the controlprogram stored in the ROM 102 into the RAM 103 and executes the loadedcontrol program. The processing illustrated in the flowchart of FIG. 4is performed when the printing apparatus 100 is activated or the userhas pressed the OK button 301 on the setting screen 300.

In step 401, the CPU 101 specifies a format of a Bluetooth low energypacket to be transmitted. The process is performed by referring to aresult of a setting by the setting screen 300. In a case where theformat of the Bluetooth low energy packet set as a device setting isAirPrint Bluetooth Beacon, the processing proceeds to step S402. In acase where the format of the Bluetooth low energy packet set as thedevice setting is a print application, the processing proceeds to stepS408.

In step S402, the CPU 101 determines whether both an IPv4 address and anIPv6 address are unavailable. A state where an IP address is unavailablemeans that the IP address has not been set in the printing apparatus100. In a case where the CPU 101 determines that both the IPv4 addressand the IPv6 address are unavailable (YES in step S402), the processingproceeds to step S407. In a case where the CPU 101 determines that boththe IPv4 address and the IPv6 address are not unavailable (NO in stepS402), the processing proceeds to step S403. A state where both the IPv4address and the IPv6 address are not unavailable means that both theIPv4 address and IPv6 address have been set in the printing apparatus100 or that at least one has been set.

In step S403, the CPU 101 determines whether the IPv4 address isavailable. A state where an IPv4 address is available means that theIPv4 address has been set in the printing apparatus 100. In a case wherethe CPU 101 determines that the IPv4 address is available (YES in stepS403), the processing proceeds to step S404. In a case where the CPU 101determines that the IPv4 address is not available (NO in step S403), theprocessing proceeds to step S405.

In step S404, the CPU 101 generates a Bluetooth low energy packet in anAirPrint Bluetooth Beacon format using the IPv4 address of the printingapparatus 100. The CPU 101 stores the IPv4 address of the printingapparatus 100 in an IP address field in the AirPrint Bluetooth Beaconformat described in FIG. 2A, and generates the Bluetooth low energypacket.

The process in step S404 can be performed when both the IPv4 address andthe IPv6 address are available in the printing apparatus 100. In thiscase, the CPU 101 generates the Bluetooth low energy packet in theAirPrint Bluetooth Beacon format using the IPv4 address instead of theIPv6 address. That is, in a case where both the IPv4 address and theIPv6 address are available, the CPU 101 generates a Bluetooth low energypacket including the available IPv4 address from the available IPv4address and the available IPv6 address. The IPv4 address is selectedinstead of the IPv6 address because the number of network infrastructureenvironments corresponding to the IPv6 address is smaller compared tothose corresponding to the IPv4 address. In a case where both the IPv4address and the IPv6 address are available in the printing apparatus100, the possibility that the Bluetooth low energy packet received bythe mobile terminal can be appropriately processed increases when theBluetooth low energy packet includes the IPv4 address instead of theIPv6 address.

In step S405, the CPU 101 generates a Bluetooth low energy packet in anAirPrint Bluetooth Beacon format using the IPv6 address of the printingapparatus 100. The CPU 101 stores the IPv6 address of the printingapparatus 100 in the IP address field in the AirPrint Bluetooth Beaconformat described in FIG. 2A, and generates the Bluetooth low energypacket. The IPv6 address includes a plurality of types of addresses,such as a stateful address, a stateless address, and a link localaddress. In the printing apparatus 100, a plurality of types of IPv6addresses can be available. In a case where the plurality of types ofIPv6 addresses are available in the printing apparatus 100, the CPU 101selects the IPv6 addresses based on their respective previously definedpriorities. The CPU 101 generates the Bluetooth low energy packet in theAirPrint Bluetooth Beacon format using the selected IPv6 address. As thepriorities, for example, the first priority is the stateful address, thesecond priority is the stateless address, and the third priority is thelink local address.

In step S406, the CPU 101 transmits the Bluetooth low energy packet inthe AirPrint Bluetooth Beacon format generated in step S404 or S405. TheCPU 101 instructs the Bluetooth controller 107 to transmit the Bluetoothlow energy packet in the AirPrint Bluetooth Beacon format. The Bluetoothcontroller 107 controls the Bluetooth chip 108 to transmit the Bluetoothlow energy packet in the AirPrint Bluetooth Beacon format. The Bluetoothchip 108 starts to transmit the Bluetooth low energy packet in theAirPrint Bluetooth Beacon format generated in step S404 or S405 in apredetermined period, e.g., at intervals of 100 msec.

The process in step S407 is performed in a case where it is determined,in step S402, that both the IPv4 address and the IPv6 address areunavailable. In step S407, the CPU 101 decides not to transmit aBluetooth low energy packet in the AirPrint Bluetooth Beacon format. Astate where both the IPv4 address and the IPv6 address are unavailablein the printing apparatus 100 means that the IP address to be stored inthe Bluetooth low energy packet in the AirPrint Bluetooth Beacon formatdoes not exist. Thus, the CPU 101 determines that the Bluetooth lowenergy packet in the AirPrint Bluetooth Beacon format is not transmittedso that the Bluetooth low energy packet is not transmitted using theBluetooth chip 108.

The process in step S408 is performed in a case where the format of theBluetooth low energy packet set as a device setting has been specifiedas a print application in step S401. In step S408, the CPU 101 generatesa Bluetooth low energy packet in a print application format using a MACaddress of the printing apparatus 100. The CPU 101 stores the MACaddress of the printing apparatus 100 in a MAC address field in theprint application format described in FIG. 2B, and generates theBluetooth low energy packet.

In step S409, the CPU 101 transmits the Bluetooth low energy packet inthe print application format generated in step S408. The CPU 101instructs the Bluetooth controller 107 to transmit the Bluetooth lowenergy packet in the print application format. The Bluetooth controller107 controls the Bluetooth chip 108 to transmit the Bluetooth low energypacket in the print application format. The Bluetooth chip 108 starts totransmit the Bluetooth low energy packet in the print application formatgenerated in step S408 in a predetermined period, e.g., at intervals of30 msec. As described in FIG. 2B, the IP address of the printingapparatus 100 is not stored in the Bluetooth low energy packet in theprint application format. Therefore, in a case where both the IPv4address and the IPv6 address are unavailable in the printing apparatus100, the printing apparatus 100 transmits the Bluetooth low energypacket in the print application format.

As described above, the printing apparatus 100 generates the Bluetoothlow energy packet in the AirPrint Bluetooth Beacon format using the IPv4address instead of the IPv6 address in a case where both the IPv4address and the IPv6 address are available. The printing apparatus 100can appropriately transmit the Bluetooth low energy packet in theAirPrint Bluetooth Beacon format even when both the IPv4 address and theIPv6 address are available.

The printing apparatus 100 does not transmit the Bluetooth low energypacket in the AirPrint Bluetooth Beacon format in a case where both theIPv4 address and the IPv6 address are unavailable, i.e., have not beenset.

In the above-described exemplary embodiment, an example of a conditionthat the Bluetooth low energy packet in the AirPrint Bluetooth Beaconformat is not transmitted is the condition that both the IPv4 addressand the IPv6 address are unavailable in the printing apparatus 100.However, the condition that the Bluetooth low energy packet in theAirPrint Bluetooth Beacon format is not transmitted is not limited tothis situation.

In a second exemplary embodiment, when a printing apparatus 100 is notconnected to an infrastructure network, a Bluetooth low energy packet inthe AirPrint Bluetooth Beacon format may not be transmitted. A casewhere the printing apparatus 100 is not connected to the infrastructurenetwork, if for example, when a LAN cable disconnects from the networkI/F 104 or the wireless LAN chip 106 is not connected to an accesspoint. For example, in a case where a mobile terminal, which hasreceived the Bluetooth low energy packet in the AirPrint BluetoothBeacon format, transmits print data to the printing apparatus 100 withan IP address included in the Bluetooth low energy packet as adestination and the printing apparatus 100 is not connected to theinfrastructure network, that the print data does not reach the printingapparatus 100. In such a case, the mobile terminal uselessly receivesthe Bluetooth low energy packet from the printing apparatus 100, whichthe print data does not reach. Occurrence of such a situation can beprevented when the printing apparatus 100 does not transmit theBluetooth low energy packet in the AirPrint Bluetooth Beacon format ifthe printing apparatus 100 is not connected to the infrastructurenetwork.

As another example, when an available IP address is only a link localaddress in the printing apparatus 100, a Bluetooth low energy packet inthe AirPrint Bluetooth Beacon format may not be transmitted. TheBluetooth low energy packet in the AirPrint Bluetooth Beacon formatassumes a situation where it is used by a PC or a mobile terminalbelonging to a subnet different from a subnet to which the printingapparatus 100 belongs. The link local address is an IP address availableonly within a subnet to which the printing apparatus 100 belongs, andcontradicts a use of the Bluetooth low energy packet in the AirPrintBluetooth Beacon format. In a case where the available IP address isonly the link local address in the printing apparatus 100, the Bluetoothlow energy packet in the AirPrint Bluetooth Beacon format may not betransmitted.

As still another example, when an IP filter setting of the printingapparatus 100 is a setting to reject connection from a different subnet,a Bluetooth low energy packet in the AirPrint Bluetooth Beacon formatmay not be transmitted. The Bluetooth low energy packet in the AirPrintBluetooth Beacon format assumes a situation where it is used by a PC ora mobile terminal belonging to a subnet different from a subnet to whichthe printing apparatus 100 belongs. A case where the IP filter settingof the printing apparatus 100 is a setting to reject connection from adifferent subnet contradicts a use of the Bluetooth low energy packet inthe AirPrint Bluetooth Beacon format. In a case where the IP filtersetting of the printing apparatus 100 is the setting to rejectconnection from a different subnet, the Bluetooth low energy packet inthe AirPrint Bluetooth Beacon format may not be transmitted.

According to the above-described first or second exemplary embodiment,the printing apparatus can appropriately transmit the Bluetooth lowenergy packet including the IP address even when both the IPv4 addressand the IPv6 address are available in the printing apparatus.

Other Embodiments

Embodiment(s) can also be realized by a computer of a system orapparatus that reads out and executes computer executable instructions(e.g., one or more programs) recorded on a storage medium (which mayalso be referred to more fully as a ‘non-transitory computer-readablestorage medium’) to perform the functions of one or more of theabove-described embodiment(s) and/or that includes one or more circuits(e.g., application specific integrated circuit (ASIC)) for performingthe functions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s), andby a method performed by the computer of the system or apparatus by, forexample, reading out and executing the computer executable instructionsfrom the storage medium to perform the functions of one or more of theabove-described embodiment(s) and/or controlling the one or morecircuits to perform the functions of one or more of the above-describedembodiment(s). The computer may comprise one or more processors (e.g.,central processing unit (CPU), micro processing unit (MPU)) and mayinclude a network of separate computers or separate processors to readout and execute the computer executable instructions. The computerexecutable instructions may be provided to the computer, for example,from a network or the storage medium. The storage medium may include,for example, one or more of a hard disk, a random-access memory (RAM), aread only memory (ROM), a storage of distributed computing systems, anoptical disk (such as a compact disc (CD), digital versatile disc (DVD),or Blu-ray Disc (BD)™), a flash memory device, a memory card, and thelike.

While exemplary embodiments have been described, it is to be understoodthat the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplaryembodiments. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded thebroadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications andequivalent structures and functions.

What is claimed is:
 1. A device configured to support communicationusing an IPv4 address and communication using an IPv6 address, thedevice comprising: at least one memory device that stores a set ofinstructions; and at least one processor that executes the set ofinstructions, the instructions, when executed, causing the device toperform operations comprising: periodically transmitting a Bluetooth lowenergy advertising packet including an IPv4 address assigned to thedevice but not including an IPv6 address assigned to the device, and,performing IP communication with the at least one external apparatusthat has received the transmitted Bluetooth low energy advertisingpacket, using the IPv4 address, wherein the IP communication is based ona communication protocol different from Bluetooth low energy.
 2. Thedevice according to claim 1, wherein the Bluetooth low energyadvertising packet is not transmitted in a case where both the IPv4address and the IPv6 address are not assigned to the device.
 3. Thedevice according to claim 1, wherein the Bluetooth low energyadvertising packet is not transmitted in a case where the device is notconnected to an infrastructure network.
 4. The device according to claim1, wherein the Bluetooth low energy advertising packet is nottransmitted in a case where an IP address assigned to the device is onlya link local address.
 5. The device according to claim 1, whereinreceipt of the transmitted Bluetooth low energy advertising packetenables at least one external apparatus to initiate the IP communicationwith the device based on the communication protocol different fromBluetooth low energy using the IPv4 address, and wherein the IPcommunication is performed via a first network interface and theBluetooth low energy advertising packets are transmitted via a secondnetwork interface.
 6. The device according to claim 1, wherein: in acase where the IPv4 address and the IPv6 address are assigned to thedevice, the periodically transmitted Bluetooth low energy advertisingpacket including the IPv4 address assigned to the device but notincluding the IPv6 address assigned to the device, in a case where theIPv4 address is assigned to the device but the IPv6 address is notassigned to the device, the periodically transmitted Bluetooth lowenergy advertising packet includes the IPv4 address assigned to thedevice but does not include the IPv6 address, in a case where the IPv6address is assigned to the device but the IPv4 address is not assignedto the device, the periodically transmitted Bluetooth low energyadvertising packet includes the IPv6 address but does not include theIPv4 address, and wherein the periodically transmitted Bluetooth lowenergy advertising packet is generated by the device.
 7. The deviceaccording to claim 6, wherein the operations further comprise: in a casewhere a plurality of types of IPv6 addresses are assigned to the devicebut the IPv4 address is not assigned to the device, selecting one IPv6address from among the plurality of types of IPv6 addresses andgenerating the periodically transmitted Bluetooth low energy advertisingpacket such that the Bluetooth low energy advertising packet includesthe selected IPv6 address.
 8. The device according to claim 1, whereinthe device is a printer and the transmitted Bluetooth low energyadvertising packet is a Bluetooth Beacon packet that satisfies apredetermined format to be used for searching for a printer ofAirPrint®.
 9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the operationsfurther comprise: setting whether to transmit the Bluetooth Beaconpacket to be used for searching for the printer of AirPrint®, whereinthe Bluetooth low energy advertising packet is transmitted in a casewhere it is set to transmit the Bluetooth Beacon packet to be used forsearching for the printer of AirPrint®, and wherein the Bluetooth lowenergy advertising packet is not transmitted in a case where it is setnot to transmit the Bluetooth Beacon packet to be used for searching forthe printer of AirPrint®.
 10. A control method for a device configuredto support communication using an IPv4 address and communication usingan IPv6 address, the method comprising: periodically transmitting aBluetooth low energy advertising packet including an IPv4 addressassigned to the device but not including an IPv6 address assigned to thedevice, and performing IP communication with the at least one externalapparatus that has received the transmitted Bluetooth low energyadvertising packet, using the IPv4 address wherein the IP communicationis based on a communication protocol different from Bluetooth lowenergy.
 11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the Bluetooth lowenergy advertising packet is not transmitted in a case where both theIPv4 address and the IPv6 address are not assigned to the device. 12.The method according to claim 10, wherein the Bluetooth low energyadvertising packet is not transmitted in a case where the device is notconnected to an infrastructure network.
 13. The method according toclaim 10, wherein the Bluetooth low energy advertising packet is nottransmitted in a case where an IP address assigned to the device is onlya link local address.
 14. The method according to claim 10, whereinreceipt of the transmitted Bluetooth low energy advertising packetenables at least one external apparatus to initiate the IP communicationwith the device based on the communication protocol different fromBluetooth low energy using the IPv4 address, and wherein the IPcommunication is performed via a first network interface and theBluetooth low energy advertising packets are transmitted via a secondnetwork interface.
 15. The method according to claim 10, wherein: in acase where the IPv4 address and the IPv6 address are assigned to thedevice, the periodically transmitted Bluetooth low energy advertisingpacket including the IPv4 address assigned to the device but notincluding the IPv6 address assigned to the device, in a case where theIPv4 address is assigned to the device but the IPv6 address is notassigned to the device, the periodically transmitted Bluetooth lowenergy advertising packet includes the IPv4 address but does not includethe IPv6 address, in a case where the IPv6 address is assigned to thedevice but the IPv4 address is not assigned to the device, theperiodically transmitted Bluetooth low energy advertising packetincludes the IPv6 address but does not include the IPv4 address, andwherein the periodically transmitted Bluetooth low energy advertisingpacket is generated by the device.
 16. The method according to claim 15,further comprising: in a case where a plurality of types of IPv6addresses are assigned to the device but the IPv4 address is notassigned to the device, selecting one IPv6 address from among theplurality of types of IPv6 addresses and generating the periodicallytransmitted Bluetooth low energy advertising packet such that theBluetooth low energy advertising packet includes the selected IPv6address.
 17. The method according to claim 10, wherein the device is aprinter and the transmitted Bluetooth low energy advertising packet is aBluetooth Beacon packet that satisfies a predetermined format to be usedfor searching for a printer of AirPrint®.
 18. The method according toclaim 17, further comprising: setting whether to transmit the BluetoothBeacon packet to be used for searching for the printer of AirPrint®,wherein the Bluetooth low energy advertising packet is transmitted in acase where it is set to transmit the Bluetooth Beacon packet to be usedfor searching for the printer of AirPrint®, and wherein the Bluetoothlow energy advertising packet is not transmitted in a case where it isset not to transmit the Bluetooth Beacon packet to be used for searchingfor the printer of AirPrint®.
 19. A non-transitory storage mediumstoring instructions that, when executed, control a device configured tosupport communication using an IPv4 address and communication using anIPv6 address to perform a control method, the control method comprising:periodically transmitting a Bluetooth low energy advertising packetincluding an IPv4 address assigned to the device but not including anIPv6 address assigned to the device, and performing IP communicationwith the at least one external apparatus that has received thetransmitted Bluetooth low energy advertising packet, using the IPv4address wherein the IP communication is based on a communicationprotocol different from Bluetooth low energy.
 20. The device accordingto claim 1, wherein the device is a scanner device.
 21. The methodaccording to claim 10, wherein the device is a scanner device.
 22. Thedevice according to claim 1, wherein in a situation that the IPv4address and the IPv6 address are assigned to the device, anotherBluetooth low energy advertising packet including the IPv6 addressassigned to the device is not transmitted.
 23. The method according toclaim 10, wherein in a situation that the IPv4 address and the IPv6address are assigned to the device, another Bluetooth low energyadvertising packet including the IPv6 address assigned to the device isnot transmitted.